Book Review: Changeless by Gail Carriger

Since I immensely enjoyed Gail Carriger’s first book, Soulless, I decided to read Changeless. (Warning: If you haven’t read Soulless then don’t read the review.)

Alexia Tarabotti, the Lady Woolsey, awakens in the wee hours of the mid-afternoon to find her husband, who should be decently asleep like any normal werewolf, yelling at the top of his lungs. Then he disappears – leaving her to deal with a regiment of supernatural soldiers encamped on her doorstep, a plethora of exorcised ghosts, and an angry Queen Victoria.

But Alexia is armed with her trusty parasol, the latest fashions, and an arsenal of biting civility. Even when her investigations take her to Scotland, the backwater of ugly waistcoats, she is prepared: upending werewolf pack dynamics as only the soulless can.

She might even find time to track down her wayward husband, if she feels like it.

I had to know what would happen to preternatural Alexia Tarrabotti (now Lady Maccon). This book focuses on the history of her husband, Lord Maccon, who being Scottish is prone to his irrational anger.

Without going into too much detail, I really enjoyed several aspects of the story. First, dirigibles are back and completely in fashion within the story. In fact, the steam punk science is increased in Gail Carriger’s second book, without taking away from the engrossing plot. Second, I enjoyed knowing certain things about Alexia’s behaviour that she herself doesn’t understand until the end of the book. And the ending is marvelous. Like the Hunger Games series, I love when I can predict what will happen to a point, then be totally surprised by where the author takes it. Gail Carriger does this well in Changeless.

Next, I love the new characters in Changeless, they are completely entertaining and contrast Alexia’s London perfectly. Because they are from Lord Maccon’s past, we understand him so much better.

Finally, I think this is my favorite cover in her book series. I only now notice how they hint at things even Alexia doesn’t know just by hand positions.

This is definitely one I will reread. Long live the Parasol Protectorate.

*****

Have you read any of the other versions of the books, like the Manga version of Soulless?

*****
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